Hard Hit
by ncisabbylover
Summary: When the memories of a solved case become to much for Kate to bare alone, she turns to someone she can trust. Commissioned fluff. Rated T for the brief mention of said case.


**Hey all, heres a random TATE fic. I looking into doing commissioned one-shots in TATE, D/L (CSI:NY) B/B (Bones), and probably a few other ships like Gabby or something. If you have any ideas or you want to read a particular type of fic but don't want to write it yourself, let me know. I need to do them for school (yeah how awesome my fanfics are worth half a credit towards my year 12 as long as I hand one in every week). So this one is a commission for Loz. I know she liked it so I hope ya'll do too!**

**Love Abs**

**Oh if you do have a one-shot you want me to try and write, email me. The addy is on my profile page!**

It was late at night, much later then Kate had thought. She looked at the clock on the computer monitor and sighed again. Turning off the screen, she stood from her desk and grabbed her coat and purse.

As she walked out into the chilly winter air, she didn't know where she was going. The power was out in her building, that meant, no lights, no heat, and no TV to take her mind of the case they had just solved.

A little girl had been murdered and her body found on a Navy base. She had been the daughter of one of the servicemen in Iraq. Found by her older brother, she had been beaten, raped and eventually died from blunt force trauma. Kate could barely blink without seeing the crime scene photos. The images of that little girl passed through her head as she hailed a cab and gave him the first address that popped into her head.

It took her a minute to actually realize where she was going. She hadn't given him Abby's address, whose home she had thought about staying at. No, for some strange, unknown reason she found herself riding in the direction of none other than Tony DiNozzo's place.

With little else to do, Kate pulled out her iPod, trying to deter her mind from the gruesome pictures of the day. She couldn't believe it when she pressed play, as the chorus of Casting Crowns' _Does Anybody Hear Her_ drifted through the headphones and into her ears.

_Does anybody hear her?_

_Can anybody see?_

_Or does anybody even know she's going down today?_

_Under the shadow of our steeple,_

_All the lost and lonely people_

_Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and me._

_Does anybody hear her?_

_Can anybody see?_

Without her even realizing it, tears started to form in Kate's eyes as the driver pulled up in front of a large apartment complex. She quickly gave the drive a fifty, instructing him to keep the change and she quickly pulled the iPod out of her ears and made her way to the intercom.

She pressed it 4 times in all before she got Tony's sleep 'who is it?'

"It's me Tony, can I…can I come up?" She requested, holding herself together as much as she could.

"Kate? Um…yeah sure." Tony sounded rather shocked at her arrival but buzzed her up anyway.

Kate pushed the door open and all but ran up the stairs to his apartment. She hadn't even knocked twice when the door flew open. Tony stood there in boxers and a sweat shirt, his hair mussed from sleep. Kate all but flung herself into his arms, clinging tightly to his shirt and shedding tears. Surprised as he was, Tony recovered quickly, closing the door and gently guiding her to his couch, Kate still clinging and crying.

"Katie, what's up?" He wasn't sure if it was the right thing to ask, whether he should just let her get it out, but he was soon given an answer to his question.

"She was just a little girl Tony! Who could do something like that? Why? What did she ever do to them?"

"Shhhh, Kate, these things never make sense." He soothed, rubbing her back and holding her while she cried.

It didn't take long for Kate to compose herself and when she did she immediately pulled back. And though both missed the contact as soon as it was taken from them, neither mentioned it. All Kate did was start apologizing.

"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done that to you Tony. It's so not like me. It's just the power in my buildings out and I couldn't think straight cause of the case and I meant to give the cabbie Abby's address but I gave him your for some reason…you know what, I'm okay, I'll go. I'll catch another cab and go to Abby's. I'm so sorry I did this to you." Kate started to stand up but Tony grabbed her hand and pulled her back down.

"It's okay, I'm glad you came. The case didn't sit right with me either."

Kate nodded in understanding, noting that Tony still hadn't let go of her hand.

"So…umm…do you want to watch a movie or something?" Kate asked. There was no way she could sleep right now.

"Yeah, sure…what do you want to watch?"

"Well do you have anything that's not action?" Kate asked accusingly in a teasing tone.

Tony grabbed at his heart.

"I'm hurt Katie…my movie collection is vast and varied." Kate laughed as Tony stood and helped her up, leading her to his DVD cabinet…that covered a whole wall.

"What is this? A Video Ezy?" Kate chuckled.

"It's damn close." Tony replied. "So what did you have in mind?"

"Hmm…chick flick or comedy." Kate suggested.

"What about a mix?"

"Sounds good to me…any particular one?" Kate asked.

"What about…He's Just Not That Into You?"

"Haven't seen it." Kate stated.

"You haven't seen it? Okay, its settled then." Tony grabbed the case off the shelf and moved to the enormous plasma.

"How did you afford this set-up on a government salary?" Kate asked as the government warnings began.

"A lot of saving." Tony replied. "Shh, its starting."

About half way through, Tony noticed something. Well two things actually. The first was that Kate was leaning into him, her hand resting on his thigh and her head on his chest. His arm was firmly secured around her waist. He didn't mention this though. He did however bring up the other topic which had caught his attention.

"You look like the sister." He stated.

"Huh, what are you talking about?"

"You, you look like Jennifer Aniston's sister. In the movie I mean, the one whose married to the bald guy."

"Eww, I would never marry something like that. And she looks nothing like me." Kate stated firmly.

"Whatever you say Katie. So if you would never marry someone like that, what type of person would you marry?"

"hmm, someone whose there for me, attractive, maybe Italian. Someone who understood the job and wouldn't stop me to 'protect me.' I don't know, I've started to give up."

"You know what they say Kate, if there's no one out there for you, you're being to picky."

Kate scoffed.

"What about you? What type of person can you see yourself with 5 years from now?"

"Attractive, brunette, someone who understands the job, good at keeping me in check. Actually I have someone in mind but I never thought I was her type of guy, now I'm thinking different."

"Why? What changed?"

"Well, she just told me what type of guy she was interested in and I reckon I could be that guy."

It took a second for it to click just who he was talking about.

"Me? Are you messing with me Tony, cause I cannot handle that right now." She said, her gaze penetrating his.

Instead of answering her, he bent down and gently kissed her lips. It was slow and passionate and filled with feeling.

The end credits of the movie started rolling just as they pulled away. Tony stood up and put his hand out for her to take. She obliged and let him help her up.

"Come on, it's like 3am, I'll show you to the guest room."

"No, um, I know we haven't been on a date or anything yet, and I don't want any funny business but I was wondering if I could sleep with you. Just, you know, hold me. I don't know whether I can close my eyes without seeing the images of that little girl."

"Okay, I'll get you something to wear and you can get changed in the bathroom." Tony said, leading her to his room instead and pulling out a sweat shirt.

"Sorry, I don't think any of my pants will fit you."

"It's okay." Kate said taking the shirt and heading into his ensuit.

She came out not 2 minutes later, her clothes folded neatly in a pile which she placed on his dresser before moving to the right side of the bed which was pulled down. Tony was already lying on the left side with just the bedside lamp on.

Kate climbed and was immediately welcomed into Tony's arms. He turned out the light and gently kissed her forehead.

After a few minutes, Kate was almost asleep when she heard Tony speak.

"Will you go on a date with me?" He asked, sleep evident in his voice.

"Sure." She answered before yawning and falling asleep in the protection of his embrace.


End file.
